


What the history books don't tell us

by tolieawake



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: BAMF Steve, Fluff, M/M, head canon, the captain america history is wrong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-12
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-02-08 13:32:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1942992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tolieawake/pseuds/tolieawake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If you read the history books, they will tell you all about Captain America, Steve Rogers. They will tell you of his bravery and his loyalty and his goodness. They will tell you about how he rescued prisoners, and led men into battle, and saved lives. They will paint you a picture (in red and white and blue), of a super soldier who personifies everything they think is good in America. </p>
<p>If you ask Steve, he will tell you that history books lie. </p>
<p>OR, that one where everyone finds out some truths about Steve Rogers, which don't quite match up with what they learnt in history (such as the fact that he'll always go after Bucky).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Steve Rogers is Captain America

If you read the history books, they will tell you all about Captain America, Steve Rogers. They will tell you of his bravery and his loyalty and his goodness. They will tell you about how he rescued prisoners, and led men into battle, and saved lives. They will paint you a picture (in red and white and blue), of a super soldier who personifies everything they think is good in America.

 

If you ask Steve, he will tell you that history books lie.

 

 

_Steve Rogers is Captain America_

 

Upon waking in a brave new America, it doesn't take Steve long to realise that these people, these soldiers (agents) he is meant to fight alongside, really don't know anything about him.

 

They watch him with wide eyes and hastily averted gazes, and the look of those who believe they know someone. They make statements about him, rather than asking questions. They assume they know him (they do not).

 

Steve doesn't know much – there is so much he has yet to understand about this time – but he knows how to play the game. How to go along.

 

So he gives them what they want. He gives them Captain America. He gives them the Captain America captured on stage and tours – selling war bonds (selling truth and freedom and patriotism). He gives them the Captain America of the film reels – following orders, fighting fair and saving lives (he is the best agent they have). He gives them the Captain America that was spun out of PR campaigns and comic books – standing strong and tall, unwavering, and full of conviction (he doesn't let them see the cracks, even as he feels like he is falling and screaming, with nothing to hold onto).

 

He reads the history books, and the comics, looks again at all the wartime propaganda (old and new), absorbs what they think of him – who they think he is.

 

They call him Captain America (sometimes just Captain), and he answers to it. It is as though he is living on stage, on tour, on film, in front of the cameras, every moment. It is hard (he is not Captain America), but he manages.

 

He fits himself into the view they have of him. Makes himself the man they want (he has nowhere else to go, nothing else to hang onto – he thinks he might truly break if he didn't even have this broken version of the legend to become).

 

Sometimes, at night, when he wakes in a cold sweat (he tells no-one, because Captain America is strong and brave and does not break), he can hear the sound of gunfire, the scream of explosions, feel the heat against his skin, the hushed puff of breath against his ear as Bucky or Jacques or Gabe crawls up to his side, whispering reconnaissance to him; and every time, he hears them calling his name, “Rogers.”

 

During the day, he is Captain America – there is no-one who remembers him as anyone else. No-one left. It is not as hard as he thought it would be (and yet it is harder). For all the PR, there is a lot of Steve Rogers in Captain America, so he does not completely lose himself.

 

Still, despite playing the game, giving them what they want, there are times when he cannot be what they want – cannot be Captain America. Because, despite all his acting (past and present), he is still Steve Rogers, and there are some things Steve Rogers cannot let go.

 

(And then Bucky returns).

 


	2. Captain America's first mission was to rescue the captured prisoners of the 107th battalion

_Captain America's first mission was to rescue the captured prisoners of the 107 th battalion._

  
Tony Stark laughs and jokes and pushes at the boundaries every chance he gets. As he does so, he watches Steve, as though waiting for him to snap back. He expects Steve to toe the line, always. He has read the stories, he knows all about Captain America – who follows orders and is stiff and proper and does not joke around.

 

It is a well-documented fact that the first mission Captain America was sent on was to rescue the captured prisoners of the 107 th battalion. He was brave and daring – and followed orders the whole time.

 

 

“The Winter Soldier is too dangerous,” Fury says, scowling down at Captain America. There is a tilt to his head that suggests that he cannot understand just why the Captain is arguing with him.

  
Steve (because he is Steve here, now, he cannot be anyone else), is holding an image of said soldier in his fist, crumpling the edges as his knuckles turn white and he waves it in the air.

 

“This,” he replies, “is Bucky Barnes. Sergeant James Barnes. He is one of ours, we can't leave him there!”

 

The Cap, Tony thinks, has built up an impressive amount of steam and passion about this. He leans back to watch the show (he is also curious about what will happen, he is sure that Fury will not relent, but for the first time, Cap looks like he won't back down to Fury either).

 

“Whoever he was,” Fury replies, “he is the Winter Soldier now. It is too dangerous to try and capture him. We would lose more men than we would save – which is one. And there is no guarantee we could save him. The Soldier has been brainwashed, Cap, there is nothing of the man you knew left.”

 

Steve's jaw firms and his fist, impossibly, tightens. “Are you saying you have no plans to attempt to rescue him?”

 

“I'm saying there's a kill order out on him,” Fury replies. “He's too dangerous to save.”

 

Steve goes still. Still and cold and distant. His eyes flick over Fury, to the screen behind him, where recent sightings of the Winter Soldier are marked in glowing dots and tiny text detailing each one.

 

“I suggest you take some time to cool down,” Fury continues, eyeballing Steve. “You have somewhere to be this evening.” He is referring to the meet and greet that the Avengers are meant to be doing with the press and Tony groans, he is not looking forward to it.

 

“Yes, Sir,” Cap replies, “I do.”

 

He does not show up that evening.

 

“JARVIS,” Tony says, once he has returned home and left all the paparazzi behind, “where's the Cap?”

 

“Unknown, Sir,” JARVIS replies. “He has not returned to the Tower since leaving this morning.”

 

Tony frowns, but figures even Cap must need some time to deal with the new information he has about his (previously) dead best friend.

 

When Fury calls him the next day in fine form because Cap hasn't reported to SHIELD (and no, Fury is not happy about the Cap skipping out on the media last evening), Tony begins to wonder whether they've made a mistake.

 

Natasha smiles when asked, a soft curl of her lips. “Perhaps you should stop looking for Captain America,” she replies, “and look for Steve Rogers instead.” (It is a testament to their history lessons that the others don't really understand her – not then).

 

They are sent to search for the Cap – but find nothing.

 

Tony starts to worry that perhaps one of Cap's enemies found him and did away with him (only he figures there would be more gloating involved if that were the case).

 

The Avengers go on a mission – without Captain America – it is, unsurprisingly, only barely above an unmitigated disaster (they do win in the end).

 

Tony didn't think Cap would leave them like that. He doesn't like to admit it, but he worries.

 

A month after Cap left, he returns. Tony walks into the common area of the Tower, intent on getting coffee, when he stops in shock (enough shock that he can function without said coffee, mores the pity). For there is Captain America, dressed in jeans, a shirt and brown leather jacket. He is sitting calmly at the breakfast table. And beside him is the Winter Soldier.

 

No, Tony corrects himself, beside Cap is Bucky Barnes – in black jeans and a green sweater, and with a smirk on his face.

 

Fury is apoplectic. Barnes laughes.

 

“What?” he says, “you didn't expect this? It's not like he hasn't done it before.” He smiles around at them, as though to share in some joke. They stare blankly back at him (Tony is sure Coulson is mentally sifting through his Captain America trivia, frantically trying to find the reference).

 

“Really?” Barnes asks at their blank faces.

 

“Cap's done this before?” Tony drawls, for lack of anything else to say.

 

Barnes shrugs. “Sure,” he says, “I mean, he came and got me after Azzano, too.”

 

“The mission to Kreuzberg, to rescue the prisoners of the 107th, was sanctioned,” Coulson says. But he doesn't sound as though he's so sure of that fact any longer.

 

“It wasn't,” Cap admits. He gives a wry smile. “When I asked Phillips what his plan was, he said it was to 'win the war'.” He shrugged. “I couldn't leave Bucky there, not when there was a chance he was alive.”

 

Everyone is pretty much gaping at Cap, so Tony doesn't feel too bad for letting his own shock show. Then Cap turns to him with a frown.

 

“I would have though you, at least, would have known about that.” The Cap's speaking in that roundabout way he gets when he tries not to mention Howard by name. Tony just shakes his head.

 

Cap – Steve – shrugs. “I was just gonna walk,” he says. “But then Peggy – Agent Carter, she found out, and she grabbed, uh, she grabbed Howard,” he shot Tony a look, “and so instead they flew me in.”

 

Fury is staring at Cap with a kind of resigned understanding. “You're telling us that you went AWOL from camp, not knowing if Barnes was even alive, and instead of getting court-marshaled, or even reprimanded, they told everyone it was a sanctioned mission?” he asks.

 

“Uh, yeah,” Steve agrees.

 

Barnes laughs. “He's Captain America,” he says, nudging Steve with his shoulder. “They couldn't have Captain America going AWOL. It wouldn't look good. I mean, Phillips certainly gave him a tongue-lashing later, but that was it.”

 

Looking incredibly uncomfortable, Steve scratches at the back of his neck. “I'm not saying I don't understand your concerns,” he says, “but I can't apologise for doing what I think is right.” And that, that sounds like Cap – just, not what they'd all been taught to think Cap stood for. “I'll always go after Bucky,” he finishes.

 

And Tony realises that that is Steve, the man, talking. For the first time, he wonders just how different Steve is to Captain America.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know that it's never said what was 'released' to everyone regarding Steve's first rescue mission. I've deliberately made it so that what actually happened and what everyone 'knows' is different.  
> Partly because I think that helps to explain everyone's attitude to Steve (oh, he's Captain America, he wouldn't do that), also because I think, with all the PR that went into creating Captain America before he even stepped foot overseas, they wouldn't have wanted to 'tarnish' that, nor would they have wanted people to lose faith in their Generals.  
> So, the PR was spun, and that made its way into the history books, which became fact, which is what everyone now 'knows' about Steve.
> 
> The other chapters don't focus so much on something that was 'altered' for history, so I thought I'd put some of my reasoning here in case anyone was wondering why people don't know the 'truth'.  
> (also, I know the Commandos could have told everyone, but Captain America wasn't just a soldier, he was a PR creation, so certain things were never asked about him. And I like to think they got a kick out of hearing everyone's ideas of Steve and being the only ones who really knew him).


	3. Captain America is Always Polite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, apologies for the long time between updates. My laptop died, taking with it all my notes - including chapter titles for the rest of this fic. So I've tried to continue on, but honestly have no idea what the original chapters were meant to cover, so am just making it up all over again.  
> Which kinda sucks, 'cos I had a plan that the whole fic was based around, but hopefully, this still works.

Captain America is Always Polite

The thing about Captain America, Tony thinks, as he stares at Steve swearing a blue streak while waving at the smoke billowing over the stovetop, is that no-one ever thinks of him as someone who swears.

Cap is meant to be, like, the pinnacle of American goodness – which means wholesome good looks, unfailing manners and bashful politeness. Tony remembers reading comics where Cap was shy and bashful with the ladies, always opening doors for them, and offering them seats, and acting like the perfect gentleman.

He certainly never swore.

Leaning against the doorframe, Tony settled in to watch the show. Really, the amount of expletives falling from Cap's - Steve's - lips, Tony was beginning to think he should keep count.

“Didn't think your Tower was falling apart quite so much that you had to hold it up yourself,” Cap's ex-assassin best-friend said, strolling past Tony with a smirk.

“Ha ha, Barnes,” Tony replied.

Barnes entered the kitchen (which the rest of the Avengers had been avoiding ever since Steve started up his swearing), without any indication that he was at all bothered by the language falling from his friend's lips.

Instead, he waltzed right up to Steve, leaning over to peer at the black lump Steve was poking at in the pan. “Well,” Barnes drawled, “I'd say that's got to be about an eight.”

“Fuck off, Bucky,” Steve replied. “I don't need your shit right now.”

“You always need my shit,” Barnes replied easily, hip-checking Steve out of the way so that he could grab the pan and take it over to the sink. Steve scowled.

“You're a bastard, you know that, right, Barnes.”

“Right back at you, Rogers. Hand me the spatula?” He held out his hand without looking, and Steve smacked the spatula down into it. “You know you really shouldn't try to cook,” Barnes continued (personally, Tony found it rather gratifying that the Cap wasn't good at everything).

“I can cook just fine,” Cap replied, glaring at the pan.

“Uh huh,” Barnes replied. “Just like that time you emptied our entire building 'cos they thought there was a fire.”

“That was one time!”

Shaking his head, Tony decided to leave them to it. The thing was, it wasn't like it was the first time he'd heard Cap swear – it really hadn't taken long after Barnes had turned up before the whole team had been made aware of the fact that the two of them traded insults the way others talked about the weather or said good morning or something.

They called each other all kinds names – punk, jerk, bastard, fucking idiot, the list went on. So the Avengers had quickly learned not to always stop, blink and stare when a curse word would fall from Cap's lips in response either to something Barnes said or simply to seeing Barnes.

So far, the public was blissfully ignorant of this habit of Captain America's.

And Tony consoled himself with the fact that Coulson had almost had a coronary the first time Cap had sworn during a briefing.

“What?” Barnes had drawled, staring between Steve and Coulson. “We were in the army, y'know,” he said. “Now if you wanna hear someone swear, you shoulda heard the things that came out of Dugan's mouth.”

Steve had laughed at that. “Near made me blush,” he said.

“Did not,” Barnes replied, nudging Steve's shoulder. “You ain't blushed at curse in your life. Dames, sure, but curses and shit you just swung with.”

Steve shrugged.

Coulson finally managed to try and pull himself back on task, and Tony stifled a snicker.

Which wasn't to say that suddenly Cap was swearing all the time, or dropping a curse every second word, but Tony was no longer under the impression that swearing in front of the Cap would get him a glare and lecture (unless he did so in front of a woman – Steve could be funny like that at times).


	4. Captain America Always Follows Orders

_Captain America always follows orders_

 

“What's going on?” Bruce asked, frowning over at Natasha and Clint, where they stood tense and angry before one of the screens. They were in a small room on the Helicarrier, Natasha having called him moments ago. The screen showed an image of another room, Steve standing before the holographic images of the World Security Council.

 

“We've given you time,” one of the Council Members was saying, “and yet you have done nothing.”

 

Steve frowned.

 

Fury shifted, bringing Bruce's attention to him. “With all due respect,” he said, “we have done plenty.”

 

Another Council Member frowned. “And yet, you still continue to harbour criminals amidst your organisation.”

 

Steve went tense, and Bruce took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It was a testament to all they'd been through and forged in the aftermath, that neither Clint nor Natasha even glanced at him to check the colour of his skin.

 

“Captain America,” another Council Member spoke. “In light of the lack of actions taken by Director Fury, we are ordering you to deal with the situation yourself.” She sat back, looking smug. Steve tilted his head, considering them.

 

“I'm afraid I don't understand your concerns,” he said.

 

The Council Members frowned.

 

“You have with you,” the woman continued, “a monster who has been allowed to roam around unfettered and without consequence. You cannot think it a good idea to let him continue to do so.”

 

Steve frowned. “Now, I admit,” he said, “that I didn't exactly get along with Tony Stark when we first met, but I wouldn't go so far as to call him a monster.”

 

The woman froze, the whole Council froze. For a moment, Bruce felt the insane urge to laugh. Another Council Member cleared his throat.

  
“While we will get to the matter of Tony Stark,” he said, “he is not the monster in question.”

 

The look Steve shot him seemed to suggest that he thought the entire Council utterly stupid for continuing this conversation. Indeed, some of them were beginning to look uncomfortable, and yet, they didn't back down (nor did they seem to quite believe that Captain America was giving them lip – he just had to be misinterpreting what they were saying).

 

“The being known as Bruce Banner,” yet another Council Member cut in.

 

“Bruce?” Steve repeated, head tilting once more as he let confusion enter his voice.

 

“Yes,” the first woman agreed. “While unfortunate, the man does turn into a green monster and therefore -”

 

“I'm sorry,” Steve cut her off, sounding genuinely apologetic even as his eyes sparked fire. “But are you saying that Bruce needs to be removed because of the colour of his skin?” He gazed earnestly around at the Council. “I thought that was one of those things the future was starting to get right now – I'm sure my Social Integration Tutor specifically said that it's illegal to discriminate against someone because of the colour of their skin.”

 

Around him, the Council gaped.

 

Some of the tension had eased from Clint and he cackled, nudging against Natasha.

 

“Be that as it may,” the woman valiantly (or not so, depending on your definition of the word), tried to recover the conversation, “there's the matter of his genetics -”

 

“Hitler was all about selective genetics, ma'am,” Steve cut her off, “so I don't think that's a sentence you really want to be ending.” He gave her his best 'Captain America is disappointed in you' look. She shrunk backwards.

 

Another Member cleared his throat. “There's also the matter of Agent Barton,” he said. Clint went still and tense once more. “He turned on the very people he swore to protect, he -”

 

“I'm sorry,” Steve cut in, and Bruce began to wonder if he would ever let any of the Council Members fully say their piece (for the record, Bruce was all for Steve interrupting them), “but I fail to understand what you're saying. Agent Barton was invaluable in the Battle of New York. We could not have acheieved the Victory we did without him.”

 

The man gave Steve a patronising look.

 

“Uh oh,” Bucky muttered (Bruce wondered when he'd entered the room), “now he's in for it.” He snickered.

 

“I am, of course,” the man said, “referring to the events prior to the battle, when Agent Barton worked with the Alien known as Loki -”

 

“Oh,” said Steve, all wide eyes and earnestness. “You must not have been fully briefed then. I'm so sorry for the confusion. Agent Barton was a POW during that time. Thankfully, Agent Romanov was able to free him. At which time he refused the rest and recovery time which _was his right_ as a POW in order to join us in defeating Loki.” He smiled around them.

 

“Yes,” the woman spoke back up, “Agent Romanov.”

 

Clint shifted, so that his shoulder was brushing Natasha's.

 

“Oh,” said Steve, still all wide eyes, “don't worry ma'am, I've been fully briefed on female equality in the twenty-first century. You don't need to worry on her account, I fully understand that Agent Romanov is just as capable, in fact, in many areas more capable, than any male Agent. Although,” he added, looking suddenly thoughtful and confused once more, “I don't know why everyone keeps worrying about that. I did work with Agent Carter, you know.” He smiled around at them (Bruce had to admit that Steve's smiles did have a certain disarming quality to them).

 

“Captain America,” one of the Council Members snapped out. “We are not misunderstanding the situation. Rather, I think it is you who -”

 

“I understand perfectly,” Steve replied. “Bruce Banner, Agent Barton and Agent Romanov have my full support and complete confidence. They are members of my team and therefore under my protection.” The look he shot them was full of fierce determination and the kind of stubborn conviction that Bruce was sure had seen him through many a battle in the past.

 

Natasha was gripping her hands together tightly – the most reaction Bruce had ever seen from her outside of that time they don't talk about when he was green.

 

“Captain,” the man continued. “We are ordering you to – deal – with the situation.”

 

“Sir, yes sir,” Steve replied, snapping to attention and giving a salute. Then he spun on his heel (perfect military precision) and left the room. Reaching out, Clint turned their screen off.

 

Turning at a soft noise behind him, Bruce watched as Bucky stuck his head out the door.

 

“Hey, Rogers!” he yelled.

 

Moments later, looking somewhat bashful and pink-cheeked, Steve entered the room. “Did you have to yell down the entire corridor, Bucky?” he asked.

 

Bucky just rolled his eyes, mouth quirked up in a grin. “So, Cap,” he said, sliding smoothly into Steve's personal space with the ease of long practice. “I heard you gotta 'deal' with the situation,” he said.

 

Bruce liked Steve. He liked him a lot. The man had always tried to make Bruce feel at ease and accepted him despite the Other Guy. But Steve was also military, and Bruce knew military (well, he knew Ross, and those who followed him, and that was all he cared to know, really). So he wasn't sure just how Steve was going to get out of 'dealing' with them. He had been ordered to, after all.

 

Steve just shrugged. “Yeah,” he agreed easily. “I figure we should have a movie night or something. Team bonding.”

 

Bruce barely kept himself from gaping. There was a light of awe and thanks in Clint's eyes and something in Natasha's face had softened somehow.

 

Bucky just laughed at their non-expressions. “What?” he asked. “You think Steve didn't cop a lot of flack for putting together the first non-segregated unit in the war? Besides, Stevie's always liked to pick and choose which orders to follow and which ones not to.”

 


	5. Captain America stands for American values

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s never been explicitly said, but it’s always been rather inherently understood (particularly when taking into account the massive propaganda machines of the politicians), that Captain America stands for whatever the current stated ‘American Values’ of the day are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: for homophobic language and slurs, threat of violence  
> These are included in order to clearly show Steve's stance against such things, but I wanted to warn for them in case they are triggering for anyone.

_Captain America stands for American values_

 

It’s never been explicitly said, but it’s always been rather inherently understood (particularly when taking into account the massive propaganda machines of the politicians), that Captain America stands for whatever the current stated ‘American Values’ of the day are.

 

It has led to some interesting history lessons, Clint admits, seeing as those ‘accepted’ values can change. But no-one’s ever really questioned whether Captain America would support the main ‘values’ of the day before.

 

Then again, no-one’s really had to deal with Steve Rogers when dealing with Captain America before, either. (he admits, privately, that he’s really rather getting a kick out of watching the Cap destroy everyone’s expectations of him).

 

So Clint’s out of the tower on an errand for Phil – which basically means the other man had had enough of his hanging around in the ceiling vents and annoying him and had told him to go get some air,  when he spots the Cap ahead of him in the early afternoon crowds.

 

Steve’s got his cap pulled low over his face, hands in his jean pockets as he wanders idly along, sharp eyes taking everyone in around him. Barnes isn’t visible, but that doesn’t really mean anything considering his ex-assassin status, so Clint isn’t particularly worried about that. 

 

Deciding that he’s not going to get much better entertainment (and secretly hoping Cap will do something so patently  _Steve Rogers_ that Clint will get to cackle in glee again), Clint take the leap between two buildings in order to keep following Steve down the street (because please, the sidewalk’s for boring plebs and civilians, and if Clint’s lucky he may just run into the new spandex-wearing player Tony’s been raving about if he stays up high enough).

 

Steve wanders for a few minutes, seemingly with no particular destination in mind. Despite the cap and the loose jacket, there’s no hiding his massive shoulders or impressive shoulder-to-waist ratio. Which means he gets a number of appreciative looks from those around him even though they don’t realise he’s  _Captain America_ .

 

Clint is just trying to decide how best to tease the Cap about it all, when he realises just where Steve’s headed – in a round-about, meandering way that has him wondering whether Steve is just wandering or whether he’s very carefully disguising his intent as a simple wander.

 

The buildings get more run-down, the crowds of people thin and change. Less power-people on a late lunch and more scraping-by-worn-down-youths.

 

There’s a park – grass fading into brown, graffiti on the play equipment, one swing broken, chain hanging listlessly against the ground. Steve takes a seat on the only bench, stretching his long legs out before him as he leans back in the seat.

 

It’s casual and calm, and, Clint’s certain, utterly deliberate.

 

A few moments later, a group of teenagers enters the park. Males and females, dressed casually, passing around a couple cans of beer and some cigarettes.

 

Clint blames his history teachers (few as there were) over the years for the instinctive expectation that Steve’s gonna get up and tell them off for drinking and smoking, not just ‘cos they’re underage, but ‘cos it’s bad for you.

 

Instead, he catches an almost nostalgic twist to Steve’s lips when he glances at the group before looking away.

 

It’s a minute or so later tha t another  couple of youths stumble into the park. They’re laughing together, wide grins on their faces, that fall off immediately when they catch sight of the group.

 

Clint sighs, already wondering just how long it’d take him to get down from his perch  in case it’s needed.

 

The two boys take their arms from around each other, chins lifting and chests puffing up as they glare at the group. The group who are starting to laugh. One of them has a phone out, filming the whole thing.

 

“Hey, fags!” the filmer calls. “This is going straight online.”

 

Which, wonderful, Clint thinks. He just  _knows_ Phil’s going to have something to say to him later about letting Cap get filmed and put online without things being vetted first (as though it’s Clint’s fault that Steve Rogers really is as much of a little  shit  punk as Barnes has always claimed he is).

 

But whatever way this turns out – Clint can see it being a shit-storm. And to think he was enjoying his afternoon.

 

Clearing his throat, Steve stands to his feet. 

 

“I suggest you put that away,” he says calmly, lifting his head enough to meet the eyes of the guy with the phone.

 

Phone guy sneers. “Yeah, right,” he says. “Those two deserve everything they’re gonna get. Fags like them.” He spits. Clint starts his descent.

 

“Put it away,” Steve repeats, enough steel in his voice that only the truly naive or stupid would ignore him. 

 

“Whatever,” one of the two so-called ‘fags’ says. “We’ll go.” There’s an air of resignation to his voice that suggests this isn’t their first run-in with the group.

 

“Good,” one of the girls calls out. “We don’t want your kind around here!” The group laughs.

 

Clint’s spent a good bit of time lately being surprised by Steve Rogers, so he’s learnt to look for certain things. Steve’s hands are clenched.

 

One of the boys in the group throws something at the other two – Clint thinks it’s a rock – with a laugh. “Or stay,” he says, “and get what you deserve.” That seems to prompt the rest of the group into motion as they move forward to surround the two youths, blocking off their escape.

 

Steve also moves, making sure he ends up in the middle of the circle with the two youths. 

 

Then he sighs, like he’s utterly disappointed in the entire group. 

 

“You know,” Steve says, calmly reaching up to brush his cap back off his head as he lifts his gaze to stare each of the group in the eyes, “I really don’t think you want to continue this.”

 

One of the guys gasps. “Captain America!” he exclaims. Instead of looking ashamed of his actions, however, he lights up in glee. Clint almost,  _almost_ feels sorry for him (well no, not really, actually, he’s rather anticipating the crushing disappointment the kid’s about to face).

 

“You going to do it for us?” one of the girls asks, moving forward as though she wants to press up against Steve (and Clint gets that reaction, okay, he understands that Steve is basically a wall of muscles that makes everyone want to press up against him, but at least Clint’s got the good sense not to be so blatant about it – plus, he knows the guy’s boyfriend, okay, and there’s no way he’s testing said ex-assassin that way). 

 

Another guy laughs. “Captain America,” he says. “Here to show these fags what they deserve.” It’s clear, to Clint at least, that he expects Steve to join in on, at the very least, ragging on the boys, and, most likely, in beating them up. He’s seen that look in the eyes of a group before.

 

“Actually,” Steve replies, and he’s frowning so hard in disappointment that Clint’s surprised the group really haven’t caught on yet. “I don’t like bullies.”

 

Th at causes the group to pause for a moment.

 

“Bullies?” the guy with the phone asks. 

 

Steve turns to look at him, and Clint just  _knows_ Cap’s serious ly disappointed face is gonna look just like it’s staring everyone in the eye through the film on the phone, judging them in that way that he pulls off so well, that ‘I expected better than this from you’. 

 

“What else would you call this?” Steve asks. 

 

“But they’re fags!” one of the girls cries out.

 

Clint didn’t think Steve’s frown could deepen – it does.

 

“And you’re bullies,” Steve replies. “Name-calling, derogatory remarks, approaching them in a group in order to ensure you have numbers on your side, determined to tell them just who and what they should be.” He pauses, shaking his head. “You know,” he continues, almost conversationally. “I was once asked if I wanted to kill Nazi’s.” He pauses, giving the entire group time to hang onto his every word. “I said I just didn’t bullies. I don’t care where they’re from.”

 

The group begins to shrink back at the look he gives them after that remark. “I still don’t like bullies,” Steve says, “and I still don’t care where they’re from.  Hitler was a bully, who wanted everyone to fit his idea of the perfect person.” He doesn’t need to say what he thinks of the group’s actions, they’ve finally woken up enough to catch onto the fact that Steve pretty much thinks the same of them.

 

There’s a moment when the group looks like it’s going to push back, try and fight Captain America, but then they flee.

 

Clint watches them go with satisfaction.

 

Once the group is gone, Steve turns to the two boys left behind. “You okay?” he asks, genuine concern in his tone.

 

The two boys appear too gob-smacked at  _Captain America_ having stood up for them and now asking them if they’re okay to actually respond. 

 

With a wry smile, Steve presses his cap back onto his head,  giving them a chance to try and collect themselves.

 

“Thank you,” one of them says.

 

“You’re welcome,” Steve replies, “but you shouldn’t need to thank me. I only did what any decent human being would do.”

 

That gets him bashful smiles just this side of hero-worship (Clint’s pretty sure they’re going to develop into full-on hero-worship just as soon as Cap leaves). 

 

“You, you really don’t mind?” the other youth asks. 

 

“Mind?” Steve asks. “Why would I mind?” He grins at them, broad and bright. “Here,” Steve continues, pressing a card into their hands. “You need anything, you call me, okay?”

 

He waits until he gets a couple of disbelieving and shaky nods, before giving them another smile and turning to head out of the park. 

 

Clint rolls his eyes when he sees Barnes sidle up beside Cap, hand dropping down to give the Cap’s ass a squeeze. The two youths watch in wide-eyed awe as Steve simply turns to Bucky with a roll of his eyes, muttering something to him, before pressing a quick kiss to Bucky’s lips. 

 

*

 

Clint was right. Steve’s disappointed face trends on every social media website out there – the group hadn’t been kidding when they said the video was being immediately uploaded – and Fury isn’t happy at all. 

 

But the best bit? The phone was dropped when the group left, at such an angle that it just manages to get an image of a decidedly male hand placing itself on Cap’s posterior before he’s completely off-screen.

 

Tony is both proud and indignant – apparently Cap actually managed to break the internet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know this has been ages in coming. I always wanted to continue this, but it just never seemed to happen.  
> I don't need or want to labor over my opinion of the so-called 'reveal' about Cap that Marvel's put out. I figure if you're here reading this then I don't need to.  
> Let's just say that that 'reveal' was just the push needed to finally get this chapter out. Because this fic was all about exploring who Captain America really is - as opposed to who people think he is - so it seemed appropriate.  
> (and I stand by my head-canon of Cap, okay)

**Author's Note:**

> So, basically, this is an excuse for me to write up a whole bunch of my head-canons and put them out there.
> 
> The chapters are short because I wanted the chapter titles to match with each 'fact' from history that Steve proves wrong. So, more to come.


End file.
